During the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), NY State has not required most Safety Net members to renew their Medicaid Managed Care, Essential Plan or Child Health Plus eligibility. For most group members, coverage has been auto renewed during the PHE.
Under the Omnibus Appropriations Bill, monthly Safety Net recertifications will begin again, regardless of the PHE status, starting with members whose eligibility ends in June 2023.
Going forward, members with Safety Net will need to renew their eligibility once a year:
- Members will receive a notice when it is time for them to renew their plan.
- They will need to update their account at NYStateOfHealth.ny.gov or by calling their county Medicaid office.
- They will need to provide details like their address, email address and telephone number.
Some members may lose their Safety Net eligibility but could have the option of enrolling in their employer group coverage. This would be a qualifying life event and create a Special Enrollment Period, which is typically 60 days from the date of Safety Net coverage loss. If these members miss their SEP, they will have to wait until their employer’s next annual open enrollment period to sign up for coverage.
Our priority is that members with Safety Net do not lose coverage during this renewal process. Please let your groups know our Marketplace Facilitated Enrollers and Customer Care Advocates will be available to help them with any questions, and to schedule appointments for renewals.
Group members with Safety Net (Medicaid Managed Care, Essential Plan or Child Health Plus) should visit the link below for an overview of the renewal process, FAQs and helpful videos:
